Alamo Heights' 'Tin Man' comes down

Updated 12:48 am, Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Photo: Helen L. Montoya, San Antonio Express-News

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The 131-foot-tall water tower known to many Alamo Heights residents as “The Tin Man” is dismantled by a crew from Michigan-based Iseler Demolition. The city ordered it removed because it didn’t fit with plans for a new municipal complex.

The 131-foot-tall water tower known to many Alamo Heights residents as “The Tin Man” is dismantled by a crew from Michigan-based Iseler Demolition. The city ordered it removed because it didn’t fit with

The tower was seven feet shorter than the two other towers near Alamo Heights’ municipal complex at Broadway and Blue Bonnet Boulevard. The height difference caused it to be incompatible with the other tanks, city officials said. Some residents came out to witness the dismantling and videotape it.

The tower was seven feet shorter than the two other towers near Alamo Heights’ municipal complex at Broadway and Blue Bonnet Boulevard. The height difference caused it to be incompatible with the other tanks,

The far left tower, built in 2010, and the center tower, built in 1968, are 7 feet taller than the "Tin Man" tower on the far right, which was dismantled Monday to make room for Alamo Heights' new municipal facilities.

The far left tower, built in 2010, and the center tower, built in 1968, are 7 feet taller than the "Tin Man" tower on the far right, which was dismantled Monday to make room for Alamo Heights' new municipal

The "Tin Man" water tower is dismantled and removed on Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, by Iseler Demolition, Inc. The 131-foot tower, built in 1928, is seven feet shorter than the other two towers near the city's municipal complex at Broadway and Blue Bonnet Boulevard. The height difference caused it to be incompatible with the other tanks, sparking its removal. less

The "Tin Man" water tower is dismantled and removed on Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, by Iseler Demolition, Inc. The 131-foot tower, built in 1928, is seven feet shorter than the other two towers near the city's ... more

Photo: Helen L. Montoya, San Antonio Express-News

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The "Tin Man" water tower is dismantled and removed on Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, by Iseler Demolition, Inc. The 131-foot tower, built in 1928, is seven feet shorter than the other two towers near the city's municipal complex at Broadway and Blue Bonnet Boulevard. The height difference caused it to be incompatible with the other tanks, sparking its removal. less

The "Tin Man" water tower is dismantled and removed on Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, by Iseler Demolition, Inc. The 131-foot tower, built in 1928, is seven feet shorter than the other two towers near the city's ... more

Photo: Helen L. Montoya, San Antonio Express-News

Image 8 of 16

The "Tin Man" water tower is dismantled and removed on Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, by Iseler Demolition, Inc. The 131-foot tower, built in 1928, is seven feet shorter than the other two towers near the city's municipal complex at Broadway and Blue Bonnet Boulevard. The height difference caused it to be incompatible with the other tanks, sparking its removal. less

The "Tin Man" water tower is dismantled and removed on Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, by Iseler Demolition, Inc. The 131-foot tower, built in 1928, is seven feet shorter than the other two towers near the city's ... more

Photo: Helen L. Montoya, San Antonio Express-News

Image 9 of 16

The "Tin Man" water tower is dismantled and removed on Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, by Iseler Demolition, Inc. The 131-foot tower, built in 1928, is seven feet shorter than the other two towers near the city's municipal complex at Broadway and Blue Bonnet Boulevard. The height difference caused it to be incompatible with the other tanks, sparking its removal. less

The "Tin Man" water tower is dismantled and removed on Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, by Iseler Demolition, Inc. The 131-foot tower, built in 1928, is seven feet shorter than the other two towers near the city's ... more

Photo: Helen L. Montoya, San Antonio Express-News

Image 10 of 16

The "Tin Man" water tower is dismantled and removed on Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, by Iseler Demolition, Inc. The 131-foot tower, built in 1928, is seven feet shorter than the other two towers near the city's municipal complex at Broadway and Blue Bonnet Boulevard. The height difference caused it to be incompatible with the other tanks, sparking its removal. less

The "Tin Man" water tower is dismantled and removed on Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, by Iseler Demolition, Inc. The 131-foot tower, built in 1928, is seven feet shorter than the other two towers near the city's ... more

Photo: Helen L. Montoya, San Antonio Express-News

Image 11 of 16

The "Tin Man" water tower is dismantled and removed on Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, by Iseler Demolition, Inc. The 131-foot tower, built in 1928, is seven feet shorter than the other two towers near the city's municipal complex at Broadway and Blue Bonnet Boulevard. The height difference caused it to be incompatible with the other tanks, sparking its removal. less

The "Tin Man" water tower is dismantled and removed on Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, by Iseler Demolition, Inc. The 131-foot tower, built in 1928, is seven feet shorter than the other two towers near the city's ... more

Photo: Helen L. Montoya, San Antonio Express-News

Image 12 of 16

The "Tin Man" water tower is dismantled and removed on Monday, January 28th b by Iseler Demolition, Inc. The 131-foot tower, built in 1928, is seven feet shorter than the other two towers near the city's municipal complex at Broadway and Blue Bonnet Boulevard. The height difference caused it to be incompatible with the other tanks, sparking it's removal.

The "Tin Man" water tower is dismantled and removed on Monday, January 28th b by Iseler Demolition, Inc. The 131-foot tower, built in 1928, is seven feet shorter than the other two towers near the city's

The "Tin Man" water tower is dismantled and removed on Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, by Iseler Demolition, Inc. The 131-foot tower, built in 1928, is seven feet shorter than the other two towers near the city's municipal complex at Broadway and Blue Bonnet Boulevard. The height difference caused it to be incompatible with the other tanks, sparking its removal. less

The "Tin Man" water tower is dismantled and removed on Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, by Iseler Demolition, Inc. The 131-foot tower, built in 1928, is seven feet shorter than the other two towers near the city's ... more

Photo: Helen L. Montoya, San Antonio Express-News

Image 14 of 16

The "Tin Man" water tower is dismantled and removed on Monday, January 28th b by Iseler Demolition, Inc. The 131-foot tower, built in 1928, is seven feet shorter than the other two towers near the city's municipal complex at Broadway and Blue Bonnet Boulevard. The height difference caused it to be incompatible with the other tanks, sparking it's removal.

The "Tin Man" water tower is dismantled and removed on Monday, January 28th b by Iseler Demolition, Inc. The 131-foot tower, built in 1928, is seven feet shorter than the other two towers near the city's

The "Tin Man" water tower is dismantled and removed on Monday, January 28th b by Iseler Demolition, Inc. The 131-foot tower, built in 1928, is seven feet shorter than the other two towers near the city's municipal complex at Broadway and Blue Bonnet Boulevard. The height difference caused it to be incompatible with the other tanks, sparking it's removal.

The "Tin Man" water tower is dismantled and removed on Monday, January 28th b by Iseler Demolition, Inc. The 131-foot tower, built in 1928, is seven feet shorter than the other two towers near the city's

An 84-year-old Alamo Heights water tower that many residents called iconic was taken down piece by piece on Monday.

The city of Alamo Heights ordered the dismantling of the 131-foot-high tower, affectionately nicknamed “The Tin Man” by locals, declaring it outdated, not compatible with its water system and too expensive to maintain.

City officials also said consultants couldn't incorporate the old water tower into plans for a new municipal complex.

Crews began taking apart the water tower at dawn Monday.

“It's an icon in the city,” former City Councilman Stan McCormick said.

Another former councilman, Bill Kiel, lives across Broadway from City Hall. He walked to tower site with a camcorder to tape some of the dismantling.

“I live virtually in the shadow of The Tin Man. Pam (Kiel's wife) and I see it from our porch swing every afternoon,” Kiel said.

“Many in the community loved it so much that we originally made it a central piece of the new facility design. Unfortunately, 85 years had taken its toll, and The Tin Man was no longer safe.”

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Susan Lewis moved into Alamo Heights when she was young. Now a volunteer with Alamo Heights Presbyterian Church across from City Hall, Lewis said she was amazed by the speed and efficiency with which the crew from Michigan-based Iseler Demolition worked.

“The tower's always been there. This morning I saw the crane, and remember that today is the day it was coming down,” she said Monday.

“So I had to snap a picture at 9 o'clock, and now it's almost gone, and it's noon.”

Mayor Louis Cooper said some parts of the structure will be saved for the sake of nostalgia, but most parts will be given to the contractor as partial payment in the form of scrap iron.